Goodnight
by TryDefyingGravity
Summary: And when the angels come, I know that they will treat you well. Glinda gets the closure she deserves.


Disclaimer: I'm not that girl.

Summary: And when the angels come, I know that they will treat you well. Glinda gets the closure she deserves.

A/N: The lyrics to this fic are from a beautiful song written by Scott Alan, sung by Liz Callaway on Scott's first album Dreaming Wide Awake. The album and his new one, Keys, contain the work of several Broadway artists, including many Elphaba's such as Stephanie J. Block, Shoshana Bean, Eden Espinosa and the one I am particularly proud of, Kerry Ellis. I would definitely recommend that you try to find his music on YouTube, because it is beautiful. Please read and review.

Goodnight

_Dry away the tears,  
__set aside your fears,  
__no more pain for my love  
__I am here: now go to sleep._

The so-called Witch of the West hadn't seen Glinda the Good for almost forty years. Using faithful contacts in the Animal world, Elphaba had been able to keep a protective eye over the good Witch and occasionally had used her powers to prevent something disastrous from happening. The possibility of disasters had soon stopped, so Elphaba was able to stop helping. She always kept watch over Glinda though. Glinda knew none of this, of course; it wouldn't be safe for her to know.

The Animal who brought the news to the aging Witch had been struck by grief, for Glinda had helped him personally at some point in his past. Elphaba had known of this too, and she had added pride for her friend into the mix of emotions she already held towards the blonde.

The Fox had run into her house early one morning. Elphaba was already awake and called Fiyero from the back room to listen to what the Fox had to say. He joined Elphaba at the table and held her hand. They both knew this news was serious.

The Fox drank some of the water offered to him then looked into Elphaba's eyes sorrowfully. The Witch waited nervously. Fiyero squeezed her hand.

"Glinda… Lady Glinda, ma'am.

Elphaba gestured to him to continue. The Fox swallowed and, in a rush as if to prevent himself from breaking down, told the news.

"Glinda the Good is dying…"

---

Two days later, the Witch and her husband flew to the palace in the centre of the Emerald City. As the dusk turned to night, Elphaba and Fiyero watched as a maid shuffled tearfully down the stairs from Glinda's chambers. Hesitantly the guard followed, torn between his loyalties to a dying ruler and his desire to comfort a young, pretty girl. His desire won, and he hurried after the maid. All was silent once they'd gone. Elphaba beckoned to Fiyero and quietly made her way along the corridor. She paused outside Glinda's rooms. Fiyero touched her shoulder gently.

"It will be okay."

Elphaba nodded and pushed open the door. Her eyes fell on the stately bed at the centre of the room. An old woman lay there, wrinkled skin and grey hair, yet she still bore the marks of beauty that she had so long ago had. She was so still Elphaba thought perhaps she was already dead, and she blinked away tears.

Glinda's eyes flickered open, still the same beautiful blue of her youth. They had aged too, and they showed that the good Witch had suffered many hardships. Or just one, perhaps. The loss of her best friend and her fiancé had, naturally, hit her hard.

"Elphie?"

The use of her old, forgotten nickname drew a sharp breath and a stifled sob from Elphaba.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, you know that." Glinda continued. "But I did, and you're dead."

Glinda thought she was a ghost, Elphaba realised. She quickly stepped to the bed and took Glinda's hand in her own. At her touch, Glinda gasped in shock.

"You're… you're real?"

Elphaba nodded, forcing herself to smile. Glinda clutched at the hand of her old friend. "Once I wouldn't have believed you were. But I always had an inkling you were alive. All those things you did for me, how could you think I wouldn't notice? But then those things stopped happening, and I believed that maybe you were dead and those things just happened by luck. Once… once I would have been angry with you for deceiving me, but now… now I'm just sad."

Elphaba must have looked confused, and so Glinda continued. "If I'd known, we could have seen each other at least once more before we had to part. I forgive you Elphie, for everything."

Elphaba swallowed. "And I you, Glinda."

Tears rolled down their cheeks, Glinda's particularly. Elphaba gently wiped them from her friend's face.

"I'm dying, Elphie"

_And when the angels come  
__I know that they will treat you well  
__that they will pull you through  
__and lift you up from all that's held you down_

The Witch nodded. "I know. I couldn't let you go without telling you the truth, so Fiyero and I came as soon as we could. We…"

She stopped as Glinda sat up sharply. "Fiyero's here?"

Elphaba nodded, and the man, who Glinda thought was the guard standing oblivious by the door, stepped closer to the bed.

"Light, Elphie, I need more light."

Elphaba lit the candles by the bed. Glinda's eyes widened as a Scarecrow came into the light.

"_You _were Fiyero?" The good Witch stared in shock.

Fiyero simply nodded and moved to the other side of the bed, taking Glinda's other hand in his own. Elphaba moved the candle away, ever cautious of her husband's danger.

Glinda's eyes returned to Elphaba as the Witch returned to Glinda's side, and they took her in properly for the first time that evening. The Witch too had aged; her skin had light creases in her hands and face. The thick black hair that Glinda had always loved had turned grey. Elphaba was old, but she was still beautiful.

Another tear fell from Glinda's eye as she noticed the pink flower in Elphaba's hair. Memories flooded back to her, and she touched the old, tattered fabric.

"You still have this?" She asked in wonder.

Elphaba smiled. "You made me believe I was beautiful. I can never thank you enough, and so I keep this flower to remind me that I am beautiful, that I am strong. Most of all I keep it to remind me of you."

Glinda smiled tearfully at Elphaba's explanation of the pink flower, and a harsh cough tore through the ruler's chest. She gripped Elphaba's hand tightly, and her eyes widened in pain. Elphaba frantically looked about for some water and passed it to Glinda. The good Witch drank carefully, and the coughing subsided. Silence filled the room.

"I'm scared, Elphie." Glinda blinked back yet more tears.

Elphaba brushed back hair from Glinda's face. "You have nothing to fear, my sweet. Nothing."

"I never forgot you, you know that, don't you, Elphie."

Glinda knew this was her only chance to tell Elphaba everything. "And I never blamed you for Fiyero leaving me. I never blamed you for _anything._ And I owe my career to you."

Being able to say this to her friend released Glinda from the guilt she had held for years, believing that Elphaba had thought Glinda hated her. Relief washed through her.

Elphaba had no way to respond. Quietly, she murmured "I know" and squeezed Glinda's hand.

The three were quiet now, each taking comfort in the others' presence. Glinda coughed again, loud, wracking coughs which tore into the peace of the room.

"Is there no one to care for you, Glin?" Fiyero spoke for the first time.

The good Witch shook her head. "My doctors say nothing can be done, and I should rest."

Elphaba squeezed her hand again as Glinda continued. "He told me I would die." Seeing her old friends trying to prevent her thoughts continuing this way, she added, "I don't mind. All I wanted was to see you again and apologise before I died. Now I have, and I can die happy."

_There's a heaven up there  
__and it waits just for you  
__so close your eyes and dream_

Elphaba shifted into a chair by the bed, making eye contact with her husband. A minute of silent communication passed. Glinda had closed her eyes to clear her mind. Elphaba nodded to Fiyero.

"Glinda?"

The ruler's eyes opened slowly and caught Elphaba's. She nodded carefully, telling Elphaba to speak.

"I can take away the pain for you. I can't heal you, I can't… I can't bring someone back from the edge of death, I don't have that power. But I can stop the power."

Glinda smiled gently. "No thank you, Elphie. The pain is what tells me I'm still alive and breathing. If the pain goes, how do I know I won't be next?"

Elphaba understood and said nothing more on the subject. She poured another drink of water for Glinda, who took it gratefully. She turned to Fiyero.

"I never stopped loving you, you know. I forgave you for everything; I tried to find a new partner. But I could never find anyone to replace my scandalacious Winkie prince."

Embarrassed, Fiyero stared down at her hand clasped in his. Elphaba knew he was unsure how to respond, but had the sense to wait. This was something Fiyero had to do on his own.

"Sorry," Glinda said. "I didn't mean to put you on the spot. Just because _I _thought you were right for me doesn't mean I was right for you. You and Elphaba are perfect together. I see that now."

Fiyero regretted how their relationship had ended. Carefully, he began. "I always loved you, Glinda. But never really as a wife. I love you as I would love a sister or one of my closest friends. I never stopped loving you, just not in the way you wanted me to, and I'm sorry."

Glinda smiled and accepted Fiyero's words. They were close friends. That was all she needed.

A memory returned to her and with a flash of horror, she glanced at Elphaba. The Witch was watching her carefully but did not respond to Glinda's look. Instead, she waited again.

"Nessarose's death, Elphie! That was my f-"

But Elphaba cut her off. "I know, Glinda. I know why you said what you did and why what happened, happened." She paused. "And I do not blame you."

_And there will be a world you once knew  
__a world without pain  
__that has stuck with you for far too long_

Glinda was forgiven for all she had done and panicked.

"Elphie! The pain is going."

Elphaba looked surprised and checked Glinda's temperature. She was very hot, but other than that there were no physical signs of what was happening. She sniffed the water and all became clear.

"There's pain relief and possibly some sort of sedative in the water. Someone's trying to make you go with as little pain as possible."

Glinda dropped the glass she was holding in disgust. "I have my own reasons for wanting to stay like this."

Still the pain deserted her.

"Listen to me, Glinda. I don't want to say this," tears began to fall freely from the Witch's eyes, "but you don't have much time."

Glinda nodded, looking scared.

"I know I am not and never have been religious but I believe that somewhere there is a resting place… a heaven for our souls. That's where you will go. I doubt you would have seen me there if not-"

Glinda cut in. "Of all people, Elphie, you deserve it!"

"If not for you. Because of my friendship with you, I know that I do have a soul. And I know that we will meet again some day in that resting place."

Glinda could only nod in response, a small smile on her face. Fiyero kissed her forehead gently and stroked her cheek. The touch of her lost lover caused Glinda to catch her breath and blush slightly. Elphaba watched serenely; she wasn't jealous. Indeed, she was almost amused by her friend's reaction.

Glinda's eyes closed.

"No!" cried the Witch. "Not yet, please!"

She shook Glinda gently, then harder. "Not yet!"

She watched as the good Witch fought to bring herself back from death. Glinda flinched and her eyes opened once more.

Elphaba could only thank whatever powers there were and take back Glinda's hand.

"Not long now." Glinda's voice seemed to rasp.

Elphaba smiled bitterly. "Not long now."

_A world that does contain  
__a love like mine  
__to watch you grow strong_

Glinda was weakening, she could sense it. The plain relief in the water had done it's job. Glinda now felt nothing as her body fought against itself.

She couldn't wait to leave this world now. This world held too many painful memories, and she did not want to remember. She would keep hold of the memories of Elphaba and their happy times together at Shiz. Recollections of Shiz without Elphaba could disappear, she hadn't been so unhappy in a long time. Alone and upset, she sought solace in the arms of her boyfriend, but he was suffering too. Most of her so called friends neglected her until graduation, when it was announced that she would become the Wizard's aide, Glinda the Good. Then her friends came rushing back.

She had watched as the man she loved had left her for her best friend. She had caused the death of the Wicked Witch of the East and seen the death of her fiancé. Losing him and Nessarose, with Boq missing for an unknown amount of time, had left her with only one person. Her ties to the past were slowly being broken, and she hadn't wanted that.

She watched Dorothy and her friends march away from the palace. Not far behind her were the Witch Hunters. It had broken her heart to see the people of Oz ready to kill her best friend.

She had gone to Elphaba to plead with her to give up. But the green girl had refused; only telling Glinda how much she meant to her. Glinda had responded in kind. They had had a final embrace, and then Elphaba had sent her to hide. Glinda watched as the Witch fought the Hunters. Glinda watched as Dorothy threw a bucket of water over her old friend. Glinda watched her old friend die.

_And when my time arrives  
__please wait and make  
__a place for me_

"Only you didn't die."

Elphaba knew what Glinda meant. "No, no. I didn't die. Not in the physical sense of the word. I still had my life. But I existed only as Elphaba. I wasn't Elphie anymore. I wasn't my father's Fabala anymore. Elphaba lived that day. But Elphie, Fabala, the Witch of the West. They all died."

Glinda nodded. "But I watched you die. And to me you were dead. I thought that all that remained of you was your hat. And that funny little green bottle."

Elphaba replied gently. "It was the only way to live, to survive. It was the only way to keep you safe."

Glinda's voice was bitter. "Do you know what I found out, after your so-called death?" Without allowing Elphaba to reply, she continued. "I found out who your father was."

Elphaba stared. "But… that was Frex, I know that." But the tone in her voice told Glinda that the Witch wasn't so sure.

"Your father was not the governor of Munchkinland. He was a man from another world. A lowly traveller who spent the night with your mother in more ways than one." Glinda watched Elphaba, who's face held an expression of apprehension. "Your father was the _Wonderful _Wizard of Oz."

Shock filled Elphaba's eyes. For all that time, she had been fighting her father. It all clicked into place, and finally, she understood everything.

Glinda coughed harshly again. "When he found out that he had caused the death of his own daughter, he returned home. And died two days after his arrival, if the little magic I know served me correctly."

Elphaba's mind was working furiously. "I… am a child of both worlds. That's why I have such power."

Glinda nodded.

"But even children of both worlds are not immortal. I am going to leave this world once and for all, Glinda, and maybe we can spend our time in the next world living the lives we should have lived here."

_For when I do arrive  
your face should be the first face I see_

Elphaba knew that Glinda was fading fast, and now she simply explained to Glinda what would happen.

"Assuming there is an afterlife, I will join you there soon. I will see you again Glinda, somehow, I promise. And this time we can be the friends we were always meant to be."

Glinda was crying now. She was terrified that Elphaba was wrong, that there was no afterlife, and there was no way for them to see each other again. This could be their last goodbye. Elphaba had lapsed into silence. She too was crying freely; she too was scared that this would be her final time with her lost friend.

"Over there…" Glinda forced herself to stay awake, to speak. "The Grimmerie is there. I kept it. It was a part of you. So I kept it in here, away from prying eyes. The maids know not to go near it until my death, and I… I am the only one who has touched it since you left."

Elphaba had no words to describe what she felt. She had always thought Glinda would destroy the book, in light of who the previous owner had been. But to find that Glinda had kept the Grimmerie despite the dangerous consequences…

The two friends held eye contact. Elphaba tried to pour all the gratitude and emotion she felt into her gaze. Glinda knew how her friend felt. They caught hands, and between them they said everything in that moment.

_So dry away the tears  
__set aside your fears  
__no more pain for my love  
__it is time_

"Elphie!" Glinda clutched at the Witch's hand. "The pain is all gone." They all knew what that meant.

Elphaba hurried to make Glinda comfortable, resting her head on the pillow carefully and gently pulling the blankets up to the ruler's chest. Glinda wasn't coughing anymore, but her breathing was shallow. Each breath was taken slowly, Glinda trying to lengthen her remaining time. Elphaba kissed her forehead and sat beside her friend.

Forcing the words out, Glinda had one ore thing to say. "Everything I said on that day, our final day, I meant every word. You _are _the only friend that ever mattered to me, truly. And I know the work I have done to help Animals and the people of Oz I did because of you. I know, because of our friendship, I have been changed for the better and for good."

"I meant every word, Glinda. Every word. Thanks to you, I learnt about myself, and that I can do whatever I want to do. That I am strong. That I am capable. That… that I am beautiful, something I never thought I would believe. You did that Glinda, you changed me."

Glinda's eyes flickered and her grip on Elphaba's hand slackened. A loose, quiet breath fell from Glinda's mouth. Her final words followed.

"As I promised, Elphie, I never cleared your name."

Elphaba caught a sob in her throat, and she kissed Glinda's forehead once more. Fiyero closed Glinda's eyes and added his own kiss to Elphaba's on her forehead. They folded Glinda's arms across her chest; Elphaba smoothed back the hair from the ruler's face for the last time, arranging it on the pillow. Glinda looked like an angel.

They both turned to leave the room but Elphaba stopped. She went back into the room and removed the pink flower from her hair. She slid it into the grey curls on the pillow. She took the Grimmerie from the shelf and a note fell from it.

_If you are reading this, I must be dead, since no one would move this from the shelf if I lived. I wish to be buried with this book. That is my final command to you as ruler. This book stays with me, even in death. I thank you for all you have done for me._

It was signed "Glinda the Good."

Elphaba swallowed and laid the book on Glinda's bedside table with the note prominent on top. Casting her eyes about the room, she saw her old hat on the shelf behind where the Grimmerie had been stood. She laid this on top of the Grimmerie, using the hat to prop the letter up.

A final touch of the old woman's skin. Elphaba returned to Fiyero, and the two of them glanced back at Glinda the Good. Fiyero left the room, waiting for Elphaba outside.

"I will never forget you, Glinda. I will hold you in my heart forever. You will live on in the memories of your people. You will not be forgotten. And I will keep this final promise to you as you kept yours to me."

She joined Fiyero outside, and they slipped away from the palace. As they left the city, bells rang out, mournful, soulful tones announcing the new to the Ozians.

Glinda the Good was dead.

_Now go to sleep…_


End file.
